Global Warning
Be careful When Politicians Get involved with Science of Predicting the Weather

by Howard Melamed

Recently I was traveling back to the United States on a business trip from Europe via Heathrow airport in the United Kingdom. The British Government is now charging a tax of about 75 US dollars for each passenger going onto an airplane.

“What’s this for?“ I asked the ticket agent. “Is it for airport security?”

“No. She replied." Global Warming.”

She placed her hands with her palms up and gently shrugged with a disgusting look. She was also as dismayed as I was.

Apparently the Brits have decided that Global Warming is a big issue and that they are jumping on the bandwagon forcing every passenger to be penalized due to the fact that air travel contributes to global warming.

While speaking with her, I noticed a newspaper from the UK describing the 30 or so feet of snow that has fallen so far in New York State. Global Warming? Tell that to the people in New York and they will laugh. Perhaps what we need is a Global Warning that Politicians are once again getting involved in issues they know nothing about and governments around the world finding a new way to tax their population.

Having said this, the trouble with politicians is that they are too quick to make decisions. Al Gore for instance has now made Global Warming his mission in life whereby he goes around the planet forcing panic on people of how the seas are going to rise with the melting of the ice caps which he is absolutely certain will happen. This is from the same guy that made claim to inventing the internet. Maybe he has also invented Global Warming which is another reason why no one should take him seriously. Is the population that naïve? In the short term yes. In the long term, the snake oil salesman always loses.

In case you are not familiar with the science of the earth and Global Warming, there is a debate going on between the scientists themselves. Some say that this is a real problem. Others claim that there is no way to predict what is going to happen. I am of the opinion that there are a lot more things that can happen one way or another that may turn events notwithstanding whatever Al Gore says. In fact several natural events which occurred in the past can either set us into a cycle of global cooling or global warming.

The earth for instance can tilt a little more either way on its axis and poof, you have an Ice Age due to Global Cooling.

The idea of the ice caps melting due to Global Warming  might distribute the water around the world and change the moment of inertia ( click here for Wikipedia explanation ) .  of the earth which is dependant on the distribution of its mass. This might cause the world to slow its spin and change its wobble. Winter days would be longer, which in areas at the poles would increase ice formation putting us back into the ice age.  Or, you might then get Global warming combined with global cooling and poof. No problem, 'mon, just like being in Jamaica.

Then you have some geologists and engineers which will tell you that the 12 feet of water coming from the ice caps melting due to Global Warming will raise the oceans. This places additional stress on the continental plates that are constantly shifting. The additional weight of the water will push the ocean floor down and cause the continents of land to rise in equilibrium. Hmmm. Another good theory.

Finally, a volcano or two might erupt again and send its ashes into the atmosphere as was the case a few hundred years ago lowering the amount of sunlight reaching the earth and …you said it…global cooling.

Perhaps the question will be if the politicians will grab more tax money in the name of Global Cooling or will they give everyone their money back when Global Warming doesn’t materialize. Politicians are exactly like the weather, there is really know way of predicting their long term affects .

Instead, what we should do is press our politicians to solve something that can be tackled. Global Hunger. This is the a real problem affecting the population of this earth which no one can dispute. If this were the program, count me in for the 75 dollars.

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 02/18/2007